Removable spout for receptacle



July 2, 1963 s T 3,096,005

REMOVABLE SPOUT FOR RECEPTACLE Filed Dec. 6, 1961 INVENTOR. fia/r/z/ Z.J zz/1%,

nit

The present invention relates to a removable spout intended forassociation with one conventional type of paper receptacle; and theprimary object of the invention is to provide a reinforcing spoutadapted to be inserted in the pouring mouth of such a receptacle whenthe receptacle is first opened and to remain in place until the contentsof the receptacle are exhausted, together with means particularlydesigned for ready, frictional mounting on a conventional part of such areceptacle to carry a hinged cover or closure plate for such spout.

One conventional type of paper container or receptacle which is widelyused for milk, juices and other liquids comprises a waxed orotherwise-treated carton of square horizontal section terminating, atits upper end, in a roof comprising upwardly and inwardly inclinedopposite side panels and triangularly infolded end panels, the sidepanels terminating in an upstanding, overlapped ridge or rib which issealed to close the upper end of the carton. Such a carton is designedto be opened by forcing apart the forward edges of the side panels,thereby breaking the forward portion of the overlapped rib, and thensqueezing those panel edges toward each other to force the midportion ofthe forward end panel forwardly, whereby an open pouring mouth,quadrilateral and usually rhombic in horizontal section is produced.That pouring mouth is defined by a pair of front walls meeting in avertical line of juncture at their forward edges and divergingrearwardly, and a pair of rear walls respectively joined at theirforward edges to the rear edges of the forward walls and convergingtoward their own rear edges. When the mouth is open, the major diagonalof the rhombic section lies in the vertical plane of the unbroken,rearwardly extending portion of the ab eve-mentioned rib.

For hygienic reasons it is, of course, undesirable to expose theremaining contents of such a carton to the open air during periodsbetween uses, and therefore it is customary to reclose the open mouth ofsuch a carton after each use. Each time the carton mouth is opened orclosed, the lines of juncture among the several walls of the mouth mustbe reversely bent. Obviously, such repeated bending tends to crack andshatter the wax or other coating at those lines of juncture and flakesof such coating material frequently break away and fall into thecontents of the carton. Additionally, such repeated folding or bendingtends to weaken the carton material and, particularly after portions ofthe coating have sloughed away, that material tends to become scuffed,frayed and consequently highly absorbent.

Still further, although such cartons are so designed and constnrctedthat the opening and closing steps can be performed by the applicationof digital pressure to the external surfaces only of the receptaclemouth walls, many people, and particularly children, find suchmanipulation to be difiicult or even beyond their capacity and they willtherefore insert their fingers into the mouth portions of thereceptacles and into contact with the innor surfaces of the mouth walls.Since children (and, to some extent, other persons of abnormally lowmanual dexterity) are notoriously less likely to observe optimum rulesof cleanliness, it is, of course, highly desirable to guard against theinsertion of fingers into the pouring mouth of such a carton.

For all of these reasons, I propose to provide a detes tent FatentedJuly 2, 1963 vice including a removable spout designed and constructedto be readily inserted in the mouth of such a receptacle when thatreceptacle mouth is first opened, and to remain therein until thecontents of the receptacle have been exhausted, together with means,also designed and constructed for ready application to the receptacleand providing a closure cooperable with the spout nor mally to protectthe contents of the receptacle against exposure to the open air.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the descriptionproceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention maybe embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings,attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings areillustrative only, and that change may be made in the specificconstruction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of theappended claims is not violated.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carton of the character here underconsideration, showing my pouring spout and closure assembly inoperative association therewith and showing the manner in which thecarton and the equipment of the present invention may be manipulated;

HG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the closure assembly forming a part ofthe present invention;

FIG. 3 is a central section, partly in elevation, through the assemblyof FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the pouring spout;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation thereof; and

FIG. 6 is a rear elevation thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, it will be seen that thereference numeral 16 indicates generally a carton of the character hereunder consideration formed to provide side roof panels only one of whichis illustrated at 11 and an upstanding rib 12 of the characterabove-described. When the mouth of such a carton is opened, as shown, itwill be defined by rearwardly diverging front walls, only one of whichis illustrated at 13 and rearwardly converging rear walls only one ofwhich is illustrated at 14; and it will be seen that the front-toreardiagonal of the pouring mouth lies in the vertical plane which includesthe upstanding rib 12.

The pouring spout of the present invention is indicated generally by thereference numeral 15 and the closure assembly is indicated generally bythe reference numeral 16, such closure assembly comprising a clip 17hingedly carrying a cover or lid element 3.8.

The spout 15 is integrally formed from resilient sheet material whichmay be a light gauge sheet metal or synthetic material having a suitabledegree of resiliency for a purpose which will appear. A strip of suchmaterial is bent to define a pair of front walls 19 and 2t} integrallyjoined in a line indicated by the reference numeral 21, said front wallsdiverging toward their rearward edges at an included angle which, whenthe spout is in equilibrium condition, is slightly greater than theangle included between the front walls 13 of the carton mouth.

Said strip is further bent to define a rear wall 22. which is integrallyjoined at its forward edge to the rearward edge of the Wall 19 in a lineof juncture indicated by the reference numeral 23. Similarly, a rearwall 25 is integrally joined at its forward edge to the rearward edge ofthe wall 21'? in a line of juncture 26. As is most clearly illustratedin FIGS. 4 and 6', the rear walls 22 and 25 converge rearwardly, at anangle closely approximating the angle includedbetween the rear walls 14of the container mouth, but, when the spout 15 is in a condition ofequilibrium, the rearward edges 24 and 27 of the walls 22 and 25 areslightly separated.

As is most clearly shown in FIG. 6, the lines of juncture 23 and 26 aredisposed in a common, substantially Vertical plane, but they divergedownwardly.

An outwardly extending flange 28 projects from the upper end of the wall19 and a similar flange 29 similarly projects from the upper end of thewall 23. Flanges 3t and 31 similarly project from the upper ends of thewalls 22 and 25, respectively. As is most clearly shown in FIG. 5, theflanges 28 and 25 are disposed in a common plane and the flanges 3t and31 are disposed in a different common plane which inclines downwardlyand rearwardly relative to the plane common to the flanges 28 and 29.

The lower ends 32 and 33 of the walls 19 and '20 incline downwardly andrearwardly and the lower ends 34 and 35 of the walls 22 and 25 inclinedownwardly and forwardly so that the wall ends 32 and 34 meet in a point36 at the bottom of the line of juncture 23 and the wall ends 33 and 35meet in a point 37 at the lower end of the line of juncture 26.

Thus, when the spout is inserted in the open carton mouth, the junctureline 21 coincides with the line of juncture bet-ween the carton mouth.front walls 13 and the entire spout must be flexed, thus bringing thewall edges 24 and 27 toward each other, as the tips 36 and 37 of thespout walls are inserted in the carton mouth. The spout is then pressedhome until the flanges 23, 29, 30 and 31 *bear upon the lips at theupper end of the carton mouth.

The resiliency of the spout material, tending to reseparate the edges 24and 27, exerts a camming effect upon the mouth walls 14, tending to urgethe line 21 of the spout snugly into close-fitting engagement with theline of juncture between the forward walls 13 ofrthe carton mouth.Additionally, the flaring juncture lines 23 and 26 frictionally tend toresist removal of the spout 15 from the carton mouth. It will be clearthat the juncture line 21 and a median line between the wall edges 24and 27 will thus be disposed in the above-mentioned vertical plane whichincludes the major diagonal of the rhombic cross section of the cartonmouth.

The clip 17, which is also preferably formed of resilient, sheetmaterial, is shaped to define a roof 38 having a longitudinal extentslightly less than the corresponding dimension of the unbroken portionof the rib 12, and having downturned, converging side tabs 39 and 40which are adapted frictionally to embrace the lateral surfaces of saidrib portion. Preferably, said clip is further formed with a 'downturnedend wall 41 to limit the location of the clip upon the rib 12 so thatthe forward edge of a transverse extension 42 integral with the roof 38will be disposed substantially in the transverse plane which includesthe line of juncture between the rear walls 14 of the carton mouth. Theclip is provided with hinge means which, in the illustrated form of theinvention, comprises coaxial ears 4-4 and 45 rolled upwardly andrearwardly at opposite sides of a median notch 43 formed in saidextension 42. Said ears support a hinge pin 46, as is most clearly shownin FIGS. 2 and 3; and thecover plate or lid 18 is formed with arearwardly extending tongue rolled upwardly and forwardly as at 47 toreceive said hinge pin. Said tongue is thence turned upwardly andrearwardly to provide a finger piece 48 whereby the cover 18 may behingedly lifted by manual manipulation as suggested in FIG. 1.

It will be seen that the cover plate 18 is bent to conform to the planesin which the flanges 28 and 29 and the flanges 30 and 31 arerespectively disposed. The cover is so proportioned and designed as tobe held by gravity normally in closing'engagement with the said I claimas my invention: 1. For use with a receptacle formed to provide anupstanding, upwardly-open pouring mouth of quadrilateral cross sectionand further formed to provide an upstanding, narrow rib disposed in asubstantially vertical plane including a diagonal of'the cross sect-ionof said mouth; the invention which comprises a self-sustaining,removable spout rformed integrally of resilient, sheet material, saidspout including two front walls integrally joined at their forward edgesand diverging rearwardly, two rear walls integrally joined respectivelyto the rear edges of said front walls and converging rear-wardly butspaced from each other at their rear edges, the lines of juncturebetween the respective front and rear walls diverging downwardly, and asubstantially horizontal, outwardlyextending flange integrallyprojecting from the upper end of each wall, said spout being receivablein the pouring mouth of such a receptacle with the line of juncturebetween said front walls and a median line between the rear edges ofsaid rear walls disposed in said vertical plane and with said flangesbearing against the lips of said mouth, a clip formed of resilient sheetmaterial and proportioned and designed to be frictionally mounted inembracing relation on such a rib, hinge means supported at the forwardend of said clip, and a cover hingedly mounted on said hinge means andproportioned and designed normally to rest upon said flanges in closingassociation with the upper end of said spout.

2. For use with a receptacle formed to provide an upstanding,upwardly-open pouring mouth of quadrilateral cross section defined byrearwardly-diverging front walls and rearwardly-converging rear wallsand further formed to provide an upstanding, narrow rib disposed in .asubstantially vertical plane including the front-to-rear diagonal of thecross section of said mouth; the invention which comprises aself-sustaining, removable spout formed integrally of resilient, sheetmaterial, said spout including two front walls integrally joined attheir forward edges and diverging rearwardly at an included angleslightly exceeding the angle-included between the front walls of such apouring mouth, two rear walls integrally joined respectively to the rearedges of said spout front walls and converging rearwardly at an angleclosely approximating the angle included between the rear walls of sucha mouth but spaced from each other at their rear edges, the lines ofjuncture between the respective front and rear spout walls divergingdownwardly, and a substantially horizontal, outwardly-extending flangeintegrally projecting from the upper end of each spout wall, said spoutbeing receivable in the pouring mouth of such a receptacle with the lineof juncture between said spout front walls and a median line between therear edges of said spout rear walls disposed in said vertical plane andwith said-flanges bearing against the lips of said mouth, a clip formedof resilient sheet material and proportioned and designed to befrictionally mounted in embracing relation on such a rib, hinge meanssupported at the forward end of said clip, and a cover hingedly mountedon said hinge means and proportioned and designed normally to rest uponsaid flanges in closing association with the upper end of said spout. Ia

3. For use with a receptacle formed to provide an upstanding,upwardly-open pouring mouth of rhombic cross section and further formedto provide an upstanding, narrow rib disposed in a substantiallyvertical plane including the major diagonal of the cross section of saidmouth; the invention which comprises a self-sustaining, removable spoutformed integrally of resilient, sheet material,

said spout including two front walls integrally joined at their forwardedges and diverging rearwardly, two rear walls integrally joinedrespectively to the rear edges of said front walls and convergingrearwardly but spaced from each other at their rear edges, the lines ofjuncture between the respective front and rear walls divergingdownwardly, and a substantially horizontal, outwardlyextending flangeintegrally projecting from the upper end of each wall, said spout beingreceivable in the pouring mouth of such a receptacle with the line ofjuncture between said front walls and a median line between the rearedges of said rear walls disposed in said vertical plane and with saidflanges bearing against the lips of said mouth, a clip formed ofresilient sheet material and proportioned and designed to befrictionally mounted in embracing relation on such a rib, hinge meanssupported at the forward end of said clip, and a cover hingedly mountedon said hinge means and proportioned and designed normally to rest uponsaid flanges in closing association with the upper end of said spout.

4. For use with a receptacle formed to provide an upstanding,upwardly-open pouring mouth of quadrilateral cross section and furtherformed to provide an upstanding, narrow rib disposed in a substantiallyvertical plane including a diagonal of the cross section of said mouth;the invention which comprises a self-sustaining, removable spout formedintegrally of resilient, sheet material, said spout including a firstpair of substantially vertical Walls integrally joined at their adjacentedges and diverging toward their opposite edges, a second pair ofsubstantially vertical walls integrally joined respectively to saidopposite edges of said first walls and converging as they recede fromtheir lines of juncture with said first walls but spaced from each otherat their edges remote from said first walls, and a substantiallyhorizontal, outwardly-extending flange integrally projecting from theupper end of each wall, said spout being receivable in the pouring mouthof such a receptacle with the line of juncture between said first pairof walls and a median line between said edges of said second wallsremote from said first wall disposed in said vertical plane and withsaid flanges bearing against the lips of said mouth, a clip formed ofresilient sheet material and proportioned and designed to befrictionally mounted in embracing relation on such a rib, hinge meanssupported at the forward end of said clip, and a cover hingedly mountedon said hinge means and proportioned and designed normally to rest uponsaid flanges in closing association with the upper end of said spout.

5. For use with a receptacle formed to provide an upstanding,upwardly-open pouring mouth of quadrilateral cross section and furtherformed to provide an upstanding, narrow rib disposed in a substantiallyvertical plane including a diagonal of the cross section of said mouth;the invention which comprises a self-sustaining, removable spout formedintegrally of resilient, sheet material, said spout including two frontwalls integrally joined at their forward edges and diverging rearwardly,two rear walls integrally joined respectively to the rear edges of saidfront walls and converging rearwardly but spaced from each other attheir rear edges, the lines of juncture between the respective front andrear walls diverging downwardly, and a substantially horizontal,outwardlyextending flange integrally projecting from the upper end ofeach wall, the lower end of each front wall inclining downwardly andrearwardly from the line of juncture between said front walls and thelower end of each rear wall inclining downwardly and forwardly from itsrear edge, said spout being receivable in the pouring mouth of such areceptacle with the line of juncture between said front walls and amedian line between the rear edges of said rear walls disposed in saidvertical plane and with said flanges bearing against the lips of saidmouth, a clip formed of resilient sheet material and proportioned anddesigned to be frictionally mounted in embracing relation on such a rib,hinge means supported at the forward end of said clip, and a coverhingedly mounted on said hinge means and proportioned and designednormally to rest upon said flanges in closing association with the upperend of said spout.

References {Jilted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS812,590 Oberman Feb. 13, 1906 2,124,241 Arb July 19, 1938 2,573,378Zurlinden Oct. 30, 1951 2,560,776 Peters July 17, 1951

1. FOR USE WITH A RECEPTACLE FORMED TO PROVIDE AN UPSTANDING,UPWARDLY-OPEN POURING MOUTH OF QUADRILATERAL CROSS SECTION AND FURTHERFORMED TO PROVIDE AN UPSTANDING, NARROW RIB DISPOSED IN A SUBSTANTIALLYVERTICAL PLANE INCLUDING A DIAGNOAL OF THE CROSS SECTION OF SAID MOUTH;THE INVENTION WHCIH COMPRISES A SELF-SUSTAINING, REMOVABLE SPOUT FORMEDINTEGRALLY OF RESILIENT, SHEET MATERIAL, SAID SPOUT INCLUDING TWO FRONTWALLS INTEGRALLY JOINED AT THIER FORWARD EDGES AND DIVERGING REARWARDLY,TWO REAR WALLS INTEGRALLY JOINED RESPECTIVELY TO THE REAR EDGES OF SAIDFRONT WALLS AND CONVERGING REARWARDLY BUT SPACED FROM EACH OTHER ATTHEIR EDGES, THE LINES OF JUNCTURE BETWEEN THE RESPECTIVE FRONT AND REARWALLS DIVERGING DOWNWARDLY, AND A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL,OUTWARDLYEXTENDING FLANGE INTEGRALLY PROJECTING FROM THE UPPER END OFEACH WALL, SAID SPOUT BEING RCEIVABLE IN THE POURING MOUTH OF SUCH ARECEPTACLE WITH THE LINE OF JUNCTURE BETWEEN SAID FRONT WALLS AND AMEDIAN LINE BETWEEN THE REAR EDGES OF SAID REAR WALLS DISPOSED IN SAIDVERTICAL PLANE AND WITH SAID FLANGES BEARING AGAINST THE LIPS OF SAIDMOUTH, A CLIP FORMED OF RESILEINT SHEET MATERIAL AND PROPORTIONED ANDDESIGNED TO BE FRICTIONALLY MOUNTED IN EMBRACING RELATION ON SUCH A RIB,HINGE MEANS SUPPORTED AT THE FORWARD END OF SAID CLIP, AND A COVERHINGEDLY MOUNTED ON SAID HINGE MEANS AND PROPORTIONED AND DESIGNEDNORMALLY TO REST UPON SAID FLANGES IN CLOSING ASSOCIATION WITH THE UPPEREND OF SAID SPOUT.